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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a skill
  5. mug — a cup
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. fine — all right
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. fine — high quality
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. squash — the sport
  14. mug — a face
  15. bear — the animal
  16. squash — to crush
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. tube — a container
  19. bear — the animal
  20. row — to paddle
  21. row — a line
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. mug — to rob
  24. row — a quarrel

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com